National Human Genome Research Institute

National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

About NHGRI's Minority Action Plan

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) is committed to increasing
the number of individuals from underrepresented minority groups who have the
training to pursue careers in genome and ethical, legal and social implications
(ELSI) research. Genome research offers tremendous challenges and opportunities
for improving human health and ELSI research offers the chance to explore some
of the most profound ethical, legal and social issues of our time. NHGRI wants
the best minds to participate in this work. There are extraordinary career opportunities
in genome and ELSI research that all should share in.

The very nature of genome and ELSI research demands including a diversity of
points of view and scientific interests. A major emphasis of this research will
be to investigate how DNA sequence variation affects phenotypic differences,
especially differences in susceptibility to disease among various groups. The
significant societal ramifications of this research will also need to be addressed.
It is clearly desirable to have individuals involved who bring diverse perspectives
to this research, including an interest in understanding diseases that disproportionately
affect some populations. Genome research will affect all populations and thus
all groups need to participate in setting the research agenda and examining
the broader issues raised by it.

Growing out of this meeting and developing into mature programs in their own
right have been a series of efforts at various academic and for-profit institutes
across the country, all of which are geared to increasing the enrollment of
unerderrepresented minorities in the life-sciences. Many of these programs offer
exciting, state-of-the-art research opportunities for graduate students, undergraduates
and pre-college students as well. These programs have produced valuable educational
resources for pre-college teachers interested in teaching genomics and cell
biology to younger students. There are also summer exchange programs designed
to give students of all levels research experience at any of the different participating
institutes.

The MAP Portal includes useful tools for program coordinators, descriptions of participating programs and programs that list possible research opportunities for interested students.